"Is that Meng Yintong's boyfriend in the living room?" Meng Jiuyi asked Mo Ruyue.
Seeing how much she treasures it, is there any need to ask? Although she used to tease her with He Zhizhou, Meng Jiuyi had never met this person before.
He seems quite gentle and refined.
"He should be called my fiancé. We've been dating for so many years, it's about time we got together."
Mo Ruyue said, "Do you have time next week? Accompany your mother on a trip abroad for a few days. Your father gave me some money, and we'll also visit Mengcheng."
Meng Cheng is Meng Jiuyi's younger brother, seven years younger than her. He was sent abroad by Meng's father to study in high school.
Meng Jiuyi found it strange that her father would give them money.
When she returned to the Meng family home after high school, she overheard Feng Lan giving Feng Ran advice, saying that if you can't tame a dog, just give it food and water, but don't give it money.
She asked, puzzled, "Is there something else you're hiding from me?"
As expected, nothing could be hidden from her. Mo Ruyue said, "Next week, He's parents will come to discuss Yintong and He Zhizhou's marriage. Your father wants us to go out and have some fun."
What are you playing? It's clearly an attempt to get rid of them.
Meng Jiuyi sneered, sat down on the stool, and played with his fingers with his head down.
"Are you angry?" Mo Ruyue pressed against her back.
"Don't be angry, I don't live here anyway!"
Meng Jiuyi said, "But I have something to do next week, so go ahead and be careful."
"What's the matter?"
Mo Ruyue seemed to remember something and hesitated, "Are you going to—"
"I had just made plans to go out with my friends, and they were going to visit my family. They even gave me a time to come back, and I didn't want to go through all that trouble."
In private, Meng Jiuyi never calls Meng Xincheng "Dad." She changed the subject, saying, "Also, don't give Meng Cheng money when you see him. He's abroad and nobody cares about him. He'll go astray sooner or later."
After a few lighthearted words, Mo Ruyue no longer had any doubts.
She hugged Meng Jiuyi from behind and sighed in her ear, "Xiao Jiu, let's forget about the unhappy things from before, okay? Life always has many ups and downs. Once you get over that hurdle, a bright future awaits you, especially since you're getting older—"
Meng Jiuyi's body stiffened, and Mo Ruyue, sensing the danger, stopped mentioning the name and said softly.
"She definitely wants you to be happy every day."
Meng Jiuyi repeatedly twisted the buttons on his sleeve, mechanically repeating the action, then looked up at Mo Ruyue and smiled.
"What's bothering you? I would have forgotten about it if you hadn't brought it up."
After Mo Ruyue left, the button came undone and fell to the ground due to repeated twisting and pulling.
Meng Jiuyi flipped through the calendar; it was already the end of May, and the next week Mo Ruyue had mentioned was just around the corner.
On June 6th, it was marked with a thin circle by a ballpoint pen.
Everyone has forgotten, or selectively forgotten, to resist the pain.
But Meng Jiuyi never forgot. Many nights she had nightmares, and she would return to that raging fire billowing thick smoke. The suffocating smoke trapped her in darkness, and she would relive the loss of her best friend over and over again.
[The court sentenced Zhu Lijian to death for intentional homicide and kidnapping in the first instance. Zhu Lijian appealed, and the second instance trial will be held publicly on June 6 at the Kyushu High Court.]
This is the only news article that Meng Jiuyi has saved on his phone.
The book says the best way to get rid of nightmares is to tear open the wound and let the pain be redressed. She is silently waiting for that day to come.
The financial news articles that were automatically subscribed to on the webpage kept popping up. Meng Jiuyi was about to delete them when, almost inexplicably, he clicked on them—
Insolvent! Xindao Steel officially declares bankruptcy.
[According to the State-owned Assets Management Law, the steel giant should have undergone bankruptcy reorganization. However, Councilor Chen overruled objections and put Xindao Steel into auction, selling it to the highest interested bidder. Whether this is a move by the new official to make a strong showing remains to be seen.]
Meng Jiuyi stared at the message, pondering it repeatedly, and subconsciously felt that it was related to Tan Yuchen.
The domestic steel giant Daying Steel seems to be part of the Tan family's business as well. What exactly is he planning to do?
She pulled out her WeChat to ask him, but after typing it, she deleted it to see how he had replied before.
He uttered two words at a time, as if saying more would kill him, and his deep gaze silently revealed Meng Jiuyi's dissatisfaction.
She turned and called Jiang Zhou.
--
Actress Tang Ning's villa is located in the suburbs, nestled among lush green trees, ensuring maximum privacy.
As evening fell, she put on exquisite makeup and waited for Tan Yuchen on a slope where bougainvillea was in full bloom.
The twilight cast a soft glow on his shoulders as the man approached her, his prominent nose becoming increasingly clear, his deep eyes still gazing into the distance with a relaxed air.
Tang Ning's heart was racing.
Tan Yuchen said, "I heard from them that you wanted to see me?"
"Can't I see you if there's nothing wrong? Can't I even miss you?"
Tan Yuchen smiled indifferently, and after entering the room, Tang Ning went to the kitchen to get the soup.
"I made some cooling white fungus and lotus seed soup, would you like to try it?"
Tan Yuchen raised an eyebrow, "Isn't it a waste of talent for a renowned actress to be busy in the kitchen?"
"It all depends on whether I, the young lady, am willing or not."
She had a haughty expression and squatted down next to him, looking tiny. Tan Yuchen gave her face and drank a bowl of water.
"Director Zhou said you gave me the lead role in 'Seeing Green Hills'? This is his first film, and it's causing a huge online buzz. Why didn't you tell me about something this big?" she said, somewhat reproachfully.
Tan Yuchen didn't seem to care much and smiled, "It's a win-win situation. Your acting skills are good enough for this role."
Tang Ning pursed her lips; she had originally wanted to hear him say sweet words.
Which man in this circle doesn't know how to charm women? He can make something out of nothing, otherwise how could he get a woman to willingly open her legs? It's not that he doesn't know how; on the contrary, no one knows it better than him.
Tan Yuchen was clearly distracted and had no time to pay attention to her little thoughts. He leaned back on the sofa, pinched the bridge of his nose, and had a faint dark circle under his eyes.
Chen Zhongli, that old fox, was clearly more cunning than he had imagined. He dared not offend any of the parties involved, and in the end, he actually came up with the idea of a competitive bidding process.
Tang Ning noticed his lack of interest and considerately offered to massage his shoulders.
He was probably really tired, so he didn't refuse, and his attention was completely off behind him. Naturally, he didn't see that Tang Ning was looking at him with infatuation in her eyes.
Through the shirt collar, the man's chest muscles were faintly visible, firm and smooth, and the scent of sage wafted into Tang Ning's nose.
Those who knew about their relationship were incredibly envious of her; Tan Yuchen almost always granted her every request, providing her with resources and endorsements.
A while ago, some crazed male fans sneaked into her residence and followed her, but he dealt with them all quietly.
He always respected her and never took advantage of her as he had imagined, nor did he try to force her to give herself to him.
Having reached this position, Tang Ning is no longer susceptible to being swayed by a man's meager charity.
She thought she was in control of the relationship, after all, her face and figure were top-notch in the entertainment industry.
But it turned out that this was just her assumption. Several months passed, and no matter how much the other party tried to provoke her, he remained unmoved and didn't even give her a kiss. Instead, Tang Ning began to feel restless and irritable.
However, he did not intervene to stop the exaggerated remarks in the entertainment tabloids, seemingly letting them run rampant.
Is this tacit approval?
Unable to fathom his thoughts, she grew increasingly restless and itchy, her hand slowly sliding down his chest.
Tan Yuchen slightly lifted his eyelids, his gaze sharp as a blade.
When she tried to kiss him, he turned his head away and removed her hand at the same time.
"They've crossed the line."
Tan Yuchen looked directly into her eyes.
His clear pupils revealed no emotion, but he was already listless.
Tang Ning's tears welled up instantly. "Don't you think you're losing out, Third Young Master? You spent so much money on me, but you don't even think about getting anything back. Since you never had any feelings for me in the first place, why did you respond to me?"
"Thinking about returns after losing a couple of coins is something only gamblers do; I really don't have that ambition. You have talent in this field and are willing to study hard; it would be much better if you focused your energy on that."
She was crying hard. Tan Yuchen tore off a piece of paper and handed it to her, but he didn't bother to wipe her tears. His voice was also cold. "Didn't we agree from the beginning that it was a mutually beneficial arrangement? If you break the rules, you won't be able to play anymore."
Tang Ning felt as if struck by lightning. Looking into his cold and indifferent eyes, she realized what his "mutual benefit" meant.
shield.
To deal with pressure from family to get married.
But what she thought was a mutually beneficial arrangement was actually a transaction involving sex and sex.
She has flaunted her success when she's in a good mood, and she has the right to do so. It's only a matter of time before she makes prodigal sons turn over a new leaf and fall at her feet.
Only now do I realize how terrifyingly rational this man was.
She retorted sarcastically, "Isn't it a bit too much of a stretch for the Third Young Master to use me as a shield?"
"There's no need to belittle yourself. Director Zhou has ambitions, and so do you. Who knows, you might be the next one to go abroad. Others will only envy you then. I, Tan Yuchen, was once your lover."
He wiped his hands with a tissue, stood up, and said, "If you need any help in the future, you can let Jiang Zhou know. I have to go now."
Tang Ning's heart sank further. Adults speak with restraint, and this meant he was cutting ties.
The man had already walked towards the door, and just by looking at his back, one could tell how resolute he was. Tang Ning's tearful eyes were filled with resentment.
"Tan Yuchen, you're speaking so righteously now. I hope you'll meet someone who will always look down on you in the future!"
Tan Yuchen's eyes were indifferent, and he didn't listen to her words at all.
After getting into the car, the driver said, "Young Master, they have arrived in New York. I've arranged for the plane to wait."
Tan Yuchen hummed in agreement and gently flicked the ash from his cigarette.
The car headed towards the airport road.
"Jiang Zhou just called and said that Miss Meng wants to meet with you to ask you something."
A gentle breeze ruffled the wisps of hair on the man's forehead. He slowly raised his eyelids, his expression somewhat languid.
--
"Not here?" Meng Jiuyi held the phone, somewhat bewildered.
Jiang Zhou explained, "The Third Young Master has been very busy lately, and he has some words for me to pass on to Miss Meng."
Meng Jiuyi waited quietly for what was to come.
Jiang Zhou coughed lightly. "He told you to behave yourself and not to try anything funny while he's not around."
Meng Jiuyi laughed in anger. He was so busy, yet he still had time to threaten her.
After hanging up the phone, the pillow in my hand became my outlet for venting, and I threw it far away in a flash.
Two days later, when Meng Jiuyi saw the news, he was speechless.
The Kyushu entertainment tabloids are almost everywhere, and no one knows how they tracked and dug so deeply that photos of Tan Yuchen shopping with girls abroad were unearthed.
[Tang Yinghou is a thing of the past; Tan Sanshao has been promoted to the top tour guide.]
Those exaggerated characters occupied the entire newspaper page, making them hard to ignore.
What kind of person is he? He doesn't have time to answer her questions, but he sometimes goes shopping with his female friends.
She turned off her phone and inadvertently saw her reflection on the screen—a mixture of indignation and resentment.
Meng Jiuyi was stunned for a moment, and an alarm bell instantly rang in his mind.
She was certain that she could not love Tan Yuchen. Having witnessed his true colors before, she could never have imagined that he would have any feelings for her.
Why did she feel so wronged?
Was it his proactive and considerate actions at the hospital, or his gentle and attentive manner on the cruise ship, that made her feel that their relationship had improved and that Tan Yuchen should treat her differently?
She instantly wanted to slap herself.
Meng Jiuyi, wake up!
**
On June 6th, a light drizzle fell.
Before going to court, Meng Jiuyi first went to Baitashan Cemetery.
Because it wasn't a specific holiday for visiting, the whole mountain seemed deserted. Meng Jiuyi walked down the steps and placed the baby's breath in front of a tombstone.
She crouched down and looked at the smiling girl in the light.
"Sui Sui, I've come to see you."
“My godmother’s surgery was very successful, and she’s preparing to be discharged from the hospital soon. I just went to the nursing home and heard that the elderly people living there gave her a puppy. But do you think this might be a burden on her? Besides, she’s only just recovered from her illness, so I don’t know if she can take care of a small animal.”
"How are you doing in that world?"
There was no response.
In the vastness of the world, only her own voice could be heard, and the faded photograph on the tombstone reminded her that more than a few years had passed.
They are separated by life and death.
In that instant, a suffocating pain tightened Meng Jiuyi's heart.
She took out Swiss candies, unwrapped them, and placed five on the tombstone. Tiny, glistening fragments fell onto the tombstone.
"I'll let you win this time, okay? You get five, I'll get four. You have to give in next time, okay?"
"Tomorrow is Zhu Lijian's second trial, and he will definitely not escape the death penalty this time. Over the years, I've thought more than once, if you hadn't come to see me that weekend, would the outcome have been completely different?"
"I should have been the one to die."
The photo captured the girl's sweetest smile, but he could never answer her again.
The wind came from the mountaintop, gently caressing Meng Jiuyi's face, just like when they hugged and parted in the past—
"Keep it up, Meng Jiuyi!"
Her eyes instantly welled up with tears.
Meng Jiuyi once thought she was the happiest person in the world. She was loved by her mother, had childhood playmates who accompanied her through elementary, middle and high school, had her closest friends, and had a godmother who treated her like her own daughter.
She received so much love that she didn't care even if she didn't see Meng Xincheng often. After all, he would bring her lots of things every time he came home, immersing her in the lie that her father was just busy and the family was harmonious.
But in high school, she suddenly learned that her father was someone else's father and that her proud mother was a mistress.
That year, her bewilderment, timidity, and inability to lift her head almost completely changed her personality.
Before she could even process this change, she was told that her father's first wife was a magnanimous woman and was willing to let them return to the Meng family.
Moving to a new city not only meant changing schools and moving, but also meant that her close relationship with her previous one came to an abrupt end.
Zhang Sui saw her off at the airport, crying as he hugged her tightly.
"We will always be friends."
If only it had ended back then, if only we would never see each other again.
She leaned against the tombstone, her voice very soft.
“Sui Sui, I’ve made up my mind. After I finish taking care of the last few things, I’ll move here to keep you company, okay? There are a lot of empty houses down the mountain. I’ll take them over, grow some flowers, raise some dogs, and come up the mountain to chat with you when I have free time.”
"wait for me."
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